Much More than Friendship
by Nights Eternal Dream
Summary: The Gang have been inseperable since they met in Kindergarten. Unfortunately, it had to end when they each went off to college. After loosing touch, they finally come back together again. Will it all be the same or will frienship no longer suffice? CANON
1. Childhood Memories

* * * * High school- First day of Freshman year-Bella's POV* * * *

I had just gotten out of the cruiser. Charlie still had to drop me off since I wasn't old enough to drive. Thank God the drive to school wasn't a long one. I was worried my cheeks would be stained a permanent red if I had to ride in that thing for five extra minutes. I was already saving pennies to get a car as soon as I'm legal. Charlie had to get to the station earlier than school started, so I was usually one of the first's ones there. I didn't mind. I would use the time to look over homework, or read. I walked to get under the awning and out of the light drizzle that had started and go on with my routine like I did every other day. The rest of the gang usually got here after I read a chapter or so.

Like clockwork, I heard the beep of a horn and looked up to see Alice, Emmett and Edward getting out of Esme's minivan. I waved a 'Hello' to Esme and got up to meet with my friends as they walked towards me. Emmett and Edward were brothers. Alice carpooled with them since her mom left to go to work in Seattle before the sun came out. We all lived within a few houses of each other, but Alice said that leaving with Esme rather than have Rosalie and Jasper pick her up was easier. In reality, she had more time to do her hair and make-up if she left with Edward and Emmett.

Before we could even say 'Hi', Rose and Jasper pulled up. Well, more appropriately, their driver pulled up. Yes, the Hales had money. All six of us did actually. The difference was that theirs was inheritance. Their parents died in a bank robbery before we all met. Their Father happened to own that bank. Because of that, they were now the owners of Hale's Trust Bank Corp. They lived with a reclusive aunt that nobody has seen and therefore, have a driver. And a nanny, and a cook, and a - well, you get the point.

Emmett and Edward were a year apart. Emmett's suppose to be a Sophomore, but in second grade, he fell out of the tree house we had built. He messed up his knee pretty bad, missed a lot of school because of it and got held back. He didn't mind though. That was the thing with Emmett, he took everything in stride. Their mom, Esme, was an interior designer and the definition of the term 'soccer mom', and their dad, Carlisle, was the Chief Surgeon at the local hospital in Forks. He was pretty much the 'All-American Dad'. Come to think of it, that entire family is pretty much a walking stereo-type.

Alice lived alone with her Mom, Cynthia. She had gotten pregnant at a young age by her boyfriend. Needless to say, he bailed as soon as the word 'father' came up. He came from a rich family and Alice had a trust fund, inheritance, and a monthly allowance. This all happened after the paternity tests of course, since he adamantly denied he was the father. Cynthia never told her the guys' name, nor did she ever bring him up in conversation. Since she was the youngest parent, she had a connection with each of us that was different than Charlie, Esme, or Carlisle had with us. We were all close to our own parents and to each others.

We all moved here at around the same time; when we were three, or in Emmett's case, four. Renee had filed divorce papers when she was five months pregnant with me. Apparently, Charlie just wasn't what she was looking for. She stayed for almost a year when I was born to give us 'bonding time' and then left before I was ten months old. By the time I was two and a half, she decided that she just wasn't cut out to be a Mother and Charlie was given full custody before I turned three. We haven't heard from her since.

Within that month, the Brandon's moved from down South, and the Hales moved from the East Coast. That was early February. By early fall, the Cullen's showed up. Charlie jokes and says that we doubled the town's population that year. About a year later Alice, Rose, Edward, Jasper and I all met the first day of Kindergarten. We all became close and met Emmett soon after through Edward. After that we became thick as thieves. Nothing has been, nor will be, able to keep us apart.

Alice had bounced over to me and squealed, "EEP, Bella, can you believe it! High school! We're finally old enough to date, and go to parties and--Oh my God, we'll be driving soon!" I laughed and was joined by the melodious laughter of our friends. Alice could make anyone enthusiastic about anything. She has always been the light of the group. We all went to get our schedules and compared them. Not one of us had a class alone and we all had P.E. together. I was immensely relived about that. We talked about the upcoming school year for the next five minutes and then went off to homeroom. And so began the first day of High School.

* * * *Kindergarten-First day* * * *

The tiny raven-haired girl bounced up and down repeatedly by the classroom doors looking expectant. Her Mother had dropped her off earlier due to work hours. Just when she was starting to get impatient, a police cruiser pulled into a parking spot that she could see out one of the windows from her position. She squealed in delight and the teacher looked up from her desk, confused. The girl paid her no attention; she was waiting for something important. Well, someone technically. She saw a man getting out of the driver's side and moving to open the backseat door.

A small pale-skinned girl jumped out and grabbed her book bag. She had dark brown hair that glowed with lighter brown and dark red highlights. The things I could do with her hair! It's so pretty, she thought to herself. The girl's father quickly opened an umbrella to keep her from getting wet. They walked at a normal pace, but it was still not fast enough for the impatient little raven-haired girl. Finally, they opened the door.

It took everything inside her to hold in the squeal that threatened to burst out any second. She didn't want to scare the girl after all. If she did, how would they ever become the best friends she knew they would be? Once the girl's father had walked out the door, she wasted no time in introducing herself.

She walked right up to the timid looking girl with a friendly smile on her face and said, "Hi, I'm Alice. What's your name?" The young brown-haired girl looked surprised and unsure, but replied, Um, I'm Bella." Alice's smile grew and said, "We're going to be best friends! I know it!" Bella looked confused. "How do you know?" She asked. "I don't know," she shrugged her shoulders. "I just do." This seemed to appease young Bella.

"Come on, Bella. Let's play!" Alice grabbed her hand and led her towards the play area. Soon, the bell above the door rang, and Alice jumped up, bringing Bella with her. By the door, there was a small red-headed boy with his Mother, nervously picking at some threads on his shirt.

Before Bella knew what happened, Alice was dragging her towards the boy. "He can be our friend too." Alice explained. "Hi!' She chirped when they reached him. He looked surprised. "Um hello," He murmured. "I'm Alice, this is Bella. Do you want to be our friend?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Ok."

The bell rang once again. "Oh, more friends are here!" This time, Alice took both of their hands and dragged them towards the door. There, sat two blonde headed children, both extremely beautiful. "Hi! I'm Alice; this is Bella and- Oh, wait. I never asked you your name." "Oh, uh, Edward, It's Edward." the bronzed haired boy replied. "Right and this is Edward. What are your names?"

The boy looked up at her and smiled a charming smile. "I'm Jasper, and this is Rosalie, my sister." Alice nodded enthusiastically. "Oh we're going to be the best of friends I just know it!" Everyone congregated into a group by the building blocks. By the time the teacher started class, they were inseparable. From that day on, they became the best of friends.

* * * *Significant Others* * * *

They all thought it was amusing, the fact that they all had their first boyfriends and girlfriends together. Ever since they had met they had achieved their milestones as a group. First A on a test, first loose tooth, they even suffered through the chicken pox together. The girls had gone bra shopping with Esme, and the boys all had 'The Talk' with Carlisle. So, it was only natural that they took this next step in their lives together.

Rosalie was dating a blonde hair blue eyed junior named Riley. Being a sophomore herself, this was a pretty big deal at Forks High.

Alice just became exclusive with Justin. He had dark hair and hazel eyes. He was sweet, if not a little clingy.

Bella had gone out with Tyler a couple of days ago, and wasn't sure of the whole situation. She didn't think Tyler was her type. But according to Alice, she needed to sample a few dishes before she could pick a favorite.

Emmett had been dating Michelle for a couple of weeks. She was quiet. They all thought she was shy when she didn't join in their conversations when, in reality, she just thought she was superior to them.

Jasper had a thing for Anna but never worked up the guts to do anything about it. When she came up to the table during Lunch last week, he was pretty surprised. The girls had been on his case all month, telling him that she liked him too, but he wasn't so sure. He decided that they were right and she did like him. He didn't know that they had gone up to her one day after school and that Anna only realized she liked him when they pointed it out to her.

Edward had asked Jennifer out to a movie and everyone just assumed they were an item; including Jennifer. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he just went with it. Jen wasn't terrible looking, and she had a personality, albeit an annoying one. But beggars can't be choosers.

For a month, their time was divided between each other and their boyfriends or girlfriends. None of them were happy that they weren't able to spend much time with each other, but they didn't come out and say it. When summer came around, nobody really wanted the responsibility of a relationship, so they ended things. That Saturday, they all laughed when they realized that the entire group had not only started their respective relationships as a group, but that they also ended it as a group. Some things never change.

-----Bella's POV – Airplane-----

I recounted my childhood with a fond smile on my face. I had everything I'd ever needed then. I always had someone to go to when I needed help; either one of the parents, or one of my friends were always there to help me. Now, after way too many years, we were being reunited. I could feel myself becoming whole once more as I got closer and closer to my destination…


	2. Together Again

* * * *Bella's POV – Airplane (cont.)* * * *

I pulled my carry-on bag out of the overhead compartment after the flight attendant woke me up from my impromptu nap. I was officially in Washington, the state I had waited most of my life to leave; the state I had been missing since I left. I walked over to baggage claim and waited – not so patiently – for my three bags. I smiled when I realized that this wasn't even half of what I owned. Alice had never given up on turning me into a fashionista and, I was sorry to admit, she wasn't going to have to keep it up much longer.

Alice had been nagging me about my clothes for years and it only got worse as time went on. Distance didn't slow her down at all. If anything it fueled her fire. Finally, after multiple headaches and many phone calls arguing with her, I gave up the fight. She's been sending me a box of clothes every week since I agreed. Surprisingly, I like everything she's sent me so far. There have been a few things that were a little too… risqué. But, once I got over my inhibitions, I felt confident in them. I guess I really did have a lot to thank Alice for, not only for the clothes, but for being the master mind behind this trip.

* * * *One month ago – Alice's Phone Call – Bella's POV* * * *

I was in the middle of finishing up some work when my phone rang a high pitched annoying song. It could only be one person: Alice. I sighed and picked up the phone. "What are you calling about that is so important? I've been up for the past thirty-six hours and any patience I had is seriously running out." I heard a very unladylike snort over the phone. "When have you ever been known for your _patience, _Bella?" I sighed. She was right, I was notoriously impatient.

"What do you want Alice?" I could almost hear her excitement through the phone. "Bella, do you love me?" she asked with a pout in her voice. Great, she was guilt tripping me. "Alice, you know I do. Why are you asking me?" I asked and regretted it as soon as the words came out of my mouth. "You're going to love it! We're all going to get together!" I could feel my eyebrows furrow. "Um, who's all going to get together?" I heard her exasperated sigh over the phone. "Us; our group that consists of you, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and me."

Wow, I wasn't expecting that. "Um, you mean all of us, together?" I asked. "Yes Bella, all of us together." "Sorry, that was a stupid question. I haven't had any coffee for the past twelve hours and I've been awake for an unhealthy amount of time." She sighed. "Bella, you need to sleep. I'm worried about you. I mean, you were always an over achiever, but this is insane." I knew she was right, and I also knew why I kept occupying myself with work, but I wasn't going to admit to any of it. "Alice, according to you, I'll be going on vacation soon. Relax. I'll tone it down a bit."

That satisfied her for the moment and I hung up, after telling her I was so tired that I wouldn't remember anything else she told me. I continued working for five more hours, all the while knowing Alice would kill me if she knew.

* * * *Bella's POV - Hotel* * * *

I opened the door to my hotel room and set my bag on the floor while one of the hotel staff brought in the rest of my luggage. I gave him a tip and thanked him before closing the door and falling back onto the bed. If there was one good thing about being successful with money, it was the amazing hotel rooms you could get.

I was staying at the Fairmont Hotel in Seattle. The plan was that we were going to spend a few days here to catch up and then we'd rent a van and drive to Forks together. None of our parents still lived there, but we were going to stay at the Lodge and take a stroll down memory lane for a couple of days. Afterwards, we were heading out to South Carolina where we would stay by the coast and officially start our vacation.

We were all staying here at the Fairmont, but we weren't meeting each other until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning for a late breakfast. Alice said it would 'add to the experience', whatever that means. I looked at the clock on the bedside table. I would be seeing the people who had been, for all intents and purposes, my family in a few short hours.

I felt regret at not having seen most of them for the better part of nine years, but the blame didn't just fall on my shoulders. We were all responsible for the distance between us, although none of us did it on purpose. School and work just got in the way.

After high school I went to Penn State and majored in microbiology. I currently work for the university as a researcher for genetic diseases. I had done so well in the class, that my Professor had them hire me right out of college. When I wasn't working, I was working for my next degree. It was hard work, and it still is, but I love it.

I looked over to the clock. 3:37 in the afternoon. I decided to take a shower and wash my hair. I wanted to look decent for tomorrow. I grabbed my toiletries and some cotton shorts and a tank top before going to the shower. A very Alice-like squeal came out of my mouth when I saw the bathroom.

The huge Jacuzzi tub looked _very_ inviting, but I was tired and wanted to take a nap before I went to eat, so I opted for the shower instead. I got out, got dressed, and got under the covers. I was out before my head hit the pillow.

~_~_~_~

I had eaten dinner and went back to the hotel. It was eight o' clock by the time I was back in the room. I sat on the bed and realized I had nothing to do. The past few months I had been doing nothing but working, and before that it was school. I sighed and realized how pathetic my life really was. _Well, you need a life for it to be pathetic…_ my inner voice chimed in. I went to the desk and grabbed my laptop case. I was going to stay in the room, but I had this overwhelming urge to get out of this small space. I knew I could use it in the lobby downstairs, so that's where I went.

I walked to the elevator, which was the perfect distance from the room. Not too far that it's not worth using, but not so close that everyone has to walk past your room to get to their own. There were a few people in the lobby, but not many considering the time. I sat at one of the couches and powered on my computer.

I knew Alice told me not to, but I brought some work to do with me. The team was in the middle of an important breakthrough. We were working on an injection for diabetes. The idea was to be able to give diabetics a monthly injection to prevent blood sugar fluctuations. They'd still have to monitor their insulin levels, but they wouldn't have to constantly be on the watch.

I was using a specialized software program on the computer when I heard someone behind me. I ignored it, thinking it was just another guest, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to look, wondering who it was. I was shocked to see none other than Alice.

A huge grin spread on my face and I put the computer on the coffee table before I jumped up and hugged her. "Alice, what are you doing here?! I thought you weren't getting in until midnight." When we separated I saw the confused look on her face. "Um, sweetie, it's 12:30." My eyebrows furrowed and I looked at the watch on my wrist. She was right. "Wow, time flies, huh?"

She crossed her arms and, with a pointed look at the laptop said, "Yeah, I guess it does when you're a rule breaker." I gave her a sheepish look and said, "Sorry, I just figured that it would be okay since we wouldn't be doing anything until tomorrow. Besides, it was either this or bad porn on pay-per-view." I heard a deep voice next to us ask, "Did someone mention cheep porn?" I knew that voice! I turned to confirm my suspicions. "Emmett!" I jumped up and hugged him. He picked me up and swung me around in a circle.

"Oh my God, you're huge!" I stated. Emmett was never lanky, but he was never a Mr. Olympia either. He shot me the grin that always used to make me feel better and had most likely sent countless girls to their demise. "Yup, I took up a few sports in college and I started weight training a few years back." I squeezed him arm. "Damn," I muttered. He laughed and wrapped his arm around me. "God, I've missed you Izzy-Bells," he whispered as he hugged me again. Tears came to my eyes at the use of my old nickname. Emmett was, and still is, the only person I allowed to use it.

I hugged him tighter and said, "I've missed you too, Emmy-Ett." When I turned back to see his face, he had a smile, glad that I remembered our childhood nicknames for each other. "Am I invisible or something?" I heard Alice's voice ask behind me. I turned to look at her and saw the smile on her face. It was too much of a knowing smile for my likes. "You knew he was here, didn't you?" Her smile grew and she shrugged. "I _might_ have run into him while I was checking in."

I smiled. It was just like old times. "Hey!" Emmett exclaimed. I turned and saw him motioning to my laptop. "You brought your computer with you? I was threatened with castration if I even thought about bringing it!" I chuckled. "It's for work. I had to bargain to get this month off. Part of the deal is that I continue working on the current project while I'm gone. It's not something I can just drop into someone else's lap and walk away from." I explained. He pouted and, if he wasn't Emmett, it would look completely out of place.

"Oh my God, look what the wind blew in!" I smiled widely. "Rose!" I turned and saw her, just as beautiful if not more so. Her once shoulder length blonde hair hung down to her lower back, and the softness of her teen years were now the curves of a woman. Her natural beauty was enhanced. I realized then that Alice and Emmett were different too. I had seen Alice a few times over the years, so it wasn't as drastic, but comparing her to the pre-graduation Alice, I could easily see how much she had changed too.

The difference in Emmett was obvious. His muscles had doubled in size, his voice was deeper, and he had traded in the childlike innocence of high school for the experience of adulthood. Rose walked over and hugged me. When she pulled back she let her gaze roam over me. "Bella, you're in fashionable clothes." Her tone was incredulous and, if it was anyone else, I would have taken offence to it. "Yes I am. I've learned a thing or two since high school." I said with a cheeky smile and a wink. Her smile grew and she went to hug Alice.

I could see the change in her expression when she saw Emmett. Her eyes widened, her breath hitched, and she paused. I smirked. She thought Emmett was hot, and judging by his expression, the feeling was mutual. She shook her head as if she was trying to dislodge the thoughts in her head. "Hey Emmett, it's good to see you after all this time. You look good." She said before hugging him. He picked her up off the ground while he hugged her and set her down before saying, "You look good too, Rose." He replied with a smile.

Alice looked around the room for something before she turned and asked, "Hey, where are Edward and Jasper?" For some reason a weird current of energy ran through me at the mention of Edward's name. Rose rolled her eyes. "Jazz is upstairs sleeping. The three hour time difference has done him in." We all chuckled. Jasper was never one for late nights and was always the first one of us to fall asleep. I was always the last.

"Edward went upstairs too. He went to take a shower." An idea hit me. "Listen, my room is pretty big. Why don't you round up the two stragglers and meet me upstairs?" They all agreed and I gave them my room number. We all got in the elevator together. Emmett and Rose got off on their floors while Alice followed me to mines.

I couldn't wait until Em and Rose got here with Edward and Jasper. Alice and I made small talk until we got to the room. When I opened it I could hear her gasp of surprise.


	3. Reunited

~~~~Alice's POV~~~~

"Listen, my room is pretty big. Why don't you round up the two stragglers and meet me upstairs?" Bella suggested. We all agreed and as Bella gave Emmett and Rose her room number, I thought about what I had observed between those two just a few minutes prior.

When Rosalie saw Emmett she looked as though she couldn't believe her eyes. Once she realized that the man she was seeing was in fact the boy from her childhood, she looked like she was about to jump his bones. Once Emmett made the same connection between the girl from his past and the woman before him, he looked as if he wouldn't mind if she did just that in the hotel lobby.

Rose and Em were pretty close while we were younger. We were all close as a whole, but they had formed a different bond that had always been a few steps above platonic friendship. Not that they were aware of it of course. Still, I knew they would eventually try a romantic relationship. It was unavoidable what with their past history and their new found attraction for each other.

"Okay then, let's get going!" Emmett exclaimed, his natural excitement towards everything in life bubbling through. We all chuckled, loving Em's overall optimism. It's been our saving grace many times throughout our lives. \

We got into the elevator while Rose told us about what she and Jasper went through on the plane ride here. Apparently, Jasper still looked as well as he did in high school because the flight attendant, and the gray haired eighty year old lady next to them were flirting with him non-stop for the entire flight and once they realized there was 'competition' they were giving each other death glares. Emmett got off on his floor before she could finish.

She continued and we all laughed when she told us they both gave their numbers to him before landing. Rose got off on her floor and gave us each a hug. Before the elevator doors closed completely, I heard her softly say, "It's good to be back." _Yes it is_, I mentally agreed.

"Alice, is it weird that I'm nervous about meeting everyone?" Bella's shaking voice echoed in the enclosed space. I looked at her and with an understanding smile and said, "Being nervous to see someone you haven't seen in a long time is completely normal, Bella," She didn't look better so I continued, "Bella, we've spent every moment of our lives together," I could see the confidence strengthen in her eyes.

"As a group we've overcome Rose's gothic fixation, Jasper's obsession for Civil War reenactments, Emmett's Sci-Fi mania, Edward's fascination with the 1900's , your hardcore rock and roll insanity, and my passion for frilly, pink things. If that didn't kill us, then this won't either,"

She was chuckling with a small smile on her lips by the time I finished. "Ok… I guess you're right." She agreed. Smiling at her, I said, "Bells, I know I'm right." We laughed at the phrase I've been using since childhood. The walk to her suite wasn't long. Actually, it was the perfect distance from the elevator. Not too close, not too far.

She swiped the keycard and the light turned green, signaling we could now open it. Once she did, I gasped. It was beautiful and elegant and - well, it was nothing I'd expect Bella to rent out for two nights. Bella had money; a lot of money. Her mom came from a prestigious family in New York and when she died, Bella inherited everything as the sole beneficiary of the estate.

It happened when she was eight and Charlie put it all in an account. She's only used the money twice. The first time was when she donated to a charity for kids who had been abandoned, runaways, orphaned, abused, and some were even taken from their parents by the court.

The money was used to buy a bigger building and outdoor space for them. She even surprised them with two swimming pools (one for the toddlers and one for the older kids) that were both fenced in separately. When she was done, she had told me how great it felt to know someone's life is a little better because of what you did for them. We were all so proud of her and decided to take on some projects of our own.

The second time she used it was for Charlie's early retirement. He wanted her to use it for college tuition, but she surprised him with a full scholarship. Charlie was so proud of her that he actually accepted the money from her. She'd planned the entire thing right down to the last: "My baby girl's going to college!"

We all thought that Bella would use _some _of it for college, but she didn't. Every cent that she earned went into all her expenses. "I don't want _her_ to have any part in my future, nor in my success," was what she told us when we asked her about it-the '_her_' being Renee.

We never brought the subject up again, knowing she didn't like to speak about her mother. In fact, she didn't even call her 'mom'. "The title 'mom', 'mommy', and even 'mother', are titles you earn, not titles that are bestowed upon you," she had once said.

"Your little Bella's finally learned a thing or two on living in the lap of luxury." Her statement brought me out of my thoughts. "Um, _major understatement_, but we'll go with that for now. Wait until Rose sees this; she'll flip!" I exclaimed. She showed me around the living room, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, bedroom, and the bathroom in the bedroom. I'd never thought I'd live to see the day where Bella wasn't forced to spend money on something 'unnecessary' as she'd call it.

Just when I was starting to doubt whether or not they'd come, a knock sounded through the door followed by a: "Izzy! Open the damn door!" We looked at each other, and with a roll of our eyes said, "Emmett,"

~~~~Bella's POV~~~~

As I went to open the door for Emmett, I got butterflies in my stomach, (The good kind, not the bad kind) and I'm sure there was a cheesy smile plastered onto my face as well. Before the door was entirely open I was once again enwrapped in huge arms. "Well, it's about damn time! I thought I'd be waiting out there until my beard turned grey!"

I laughed and heard a voice say, "Emmett, you couldn't grow a grey beard if you tried! It's all those damn steroids I keep telling you not to use." I turned and saw Edward standing there with a smirk on his face and nearly had the breath knocked out of me by the sight of him.

Instead of drooling, which wouldn't have been out of character for me, I smiled at him and once Em let me down, I hurled myself at him just like I would have before his smile sucked the oxygen out of the room. "God it's good to see you," I exclaimed. He was definitely a sight for sore eyes with a few tendrils of hair still wet from the shower hanging down his face and a pair of black jeans, Chucks, and a white cotton t-shirt. Simple and plain had never before looked so elegant.

When I finally released him from my death grip he pushed me at arm's length and looked me over. I was a little more dressed up in black slacks, a white elbow length shirt and white ballet flats, yet I felt under dressed near him.

Once he finished taking inventory, he pulled me close and repeated my words, following them with a, "You're dressed up." I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it. Did they all think I was a complete moron when it came to clothes?

_Apparently._

"Yes Edward, I _do_ know how to dress myself despite popular belief." His rumble laughter vibrated in his chest and made me feel things foreign to me. Luckily, before I could contemplate on what was going on between us, there was a knock at the door.

Edward let me loose and stepped out of the way to greet Alice while I opened the door and I was once again, I was enwrapped in familiar, strong arms. Jasper put me down, kissed my forehead and while I was still in his embrace said, "It's been too long Bella. Way too long." I smiled and nodded my agreement. Jasper never was a man of many words. "It has been too long," I said while backing up to get a good look at him.

His dark blond hair was longer than Edward's and it hung down to mid-temple and showed off his bright blue eyes. He wasn't a bulky as Emmett, nor was he as lean as Edward. He was dressed in light jeans and a white V-neck undershirt with an open grey button up over that. On his feet were white Nike's.

He turned and greeted Emmett and Edward with a man hug/ pat on the back/ handshake thing that all men do and I could tell when he caught sight of Alice. In his defense, she was dressed to kill. Most likely having gone to the airport directly after work, she was dressed in black dress pants and a red silky t-shirt with red pumps that brought her short frame to my height.

He looked at a loss for words and managed to sputter out an, "A-Alice, you – you look…" He was at a loss for words. When he finally found his voice he finished, "You look good."

_Smooth Jazz, real smooth. _Alice simply blushed and murmured a quiet, "Thanks. So do you, Jasper." I smirked.

This was going to be an interesting vacation…

* * *

**A/N:**

**Okay, so I finally came out of my hidey-hole to say 'Hello' to my readers! I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the story so far, so even though it's mildly pathetic, I'm going to ask: Please review?**

**It kills me a little inside to know that there are people reading, but they might think it's complete crap and not worth reviewing. **

**Also, my dialogue technique needs a little work, so if anyone can help me out there, or knows someone who can, please have them PM me. A Beta or something of the likes would be WONDERFUL! **

**I'm sorry the updates are so far apart. I've been dealing with some things at home and my health isn't so great either. Being only seventeen doesn't help that much either, but I promise I try my hardest to get them up her as soon as I can. To prove it, I stayed up all night finishing up this chapter so I could post it. It's now 2:59am and thank god my mom's asleep or else she'd confiscate the laptop and we can't have that can we? No laptop = No updates.**

**To find out more about me, you can visit my profile. I know I like to know more about the person behind the stories I'm reading so I just thought I'd put it out there. **

**A special shout out to _babylopez2008 _who not only complimented and showed interest in the story, but offered me advice on how to better it. Just to show my thanks, I actually went back and changed the chapter to your specifications. Any advice you may have to help me would be greatly appreciated!**

**If any of you have recommendations of things you'd like to see happen in the Fic, you can give them to me. There could be some that I haven't thought of yet and would love to see happen as well. **

**Thanks for reading so far! The next chapter will be called 'A Mental Scar and Emotional Reunion' and this is the end of the A/N! **


	4. A Mental Scar and an Emotional Reunion

~~~~Shower - Edward's POV~~~~

I was about to rinse the suds off my body when Emmett came bursting through the doors.

"Dude, hurry up and get your lanky ass out of the shower! We've got places to go, people to see!" My eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell Emmett! You don't come barging into the bathroom when someone's using it! Get the hell out and wait until I'm done." He looked like he was about to protest but thought better of it and walked away.

_Smart move_, I thought to myself.

Emmett. The guy was like a hemorrhoid. I shook my head, half in annoyance, half in amusement. No matter how annoying and obnoxious he could be, I still loved the guy. He was my best friend.

Of course, I'd never tell anyone that because then I'd become a pansy and, as a man, I couldn't let that happen.

Fifteen minutes later and I was dressed. I walked out of the bathroom and leaned on the wall. "So, who's so important that they can't wait until a decent hour to see us? It's after one in the morning."

He sighed in frustration. "You want to know who we've gotta see? Everyone. But, I'll just tell them they weren't important enough for you to show your face… Well, I'm going to Bella's room regardless of what you're doing. Rosie, Jazz, and Ali are all going to be there too."

Bella's room? Rose, Jasper, and Ali? They're all in Bella's room? _Holy shit!_

I beat Emmett to the door and turned to him, "Well, what the hell is taking you so long?" He chuckled in response and we took the elevator up the eight floors to Bella's suite.

I whistled as Emmett pressed the button for her floor. Everyone knew the higher you are, the higher your bill. I was proud of her. She must have been doing really well. Has a life out in Pennsylvania, - if that's where she still lives - with friends and maybe a boyfriend or fiancé.

For some reason, that last thought made my insides twist. I felt like I was going to be sick. "Hey, Bro, you okay?" Em asked as he rested his hand on my shoulder. I nodded. "Must be something I ate on the plane."

He grunted in acknowledgment then said, "Yeah, that crap will have you on your knees heaving into a toilet. You sure you're going to be fine?" He asked, a concerned expression on his face. I nodded once again and the doors opened.

"What room is it? I asked as we walked down the hall. "Uh… 260, I think…" He trailed off uncertainly. I groaned. "Em, seriously. What room is she in?" He started to think hard but just looked like he was constipated. I smirked at that. Emmett, the constipated thinker.

"I'm pretty sure it's 260." He stated. I decided to ignore the feeling in my gut that said he was wrong and followed him down the corridor. We got to the end of the hallway and saw 260 in elegant script on the door.

Emmett knocked - or more appropriately, banged - on the door and I smacked him on his shoulder. "Em, will you stop acting like a damn gorilla? You don't need to take the door down." He was about to reply when an elderly woman opened the door. I looked to Emmett to see what the hell was going on. Was this a joke? But when I saw his face, he looked just as surprised as I did.

The look slowly morphed into one of horror and I turned to look at what freaked him out so much. I regretted it immediately. I had failed to see that the woman was unclothed. In the nude. Like, completely butt naked. I needed to bleach my brain.

"Hello young men, can we help you?" she asked. I noticed she said 'can we help you' rather than 'can _I _help you. While I was in my shock induced haze, a man walked up behind her. He was as naked as the day he was born. Which was a very, very, long time ago. The sight was shooting daggers at my mind. I'd be left with severe mental scarring from this.

"Um, uh, we… Uh, we got the wrong room. Um, we - we're sorry to, um, interrupt you so late." Emmett stuttered for words. I would have helped him, but I was still in a Post Traumatic Stress induced comatose state.

"It's okay boys. But, if you don't mind, we don't have time to talk right now." The man said with a wink and a wiggle of his eyebrows and I felt the bile creep up my throat.

Finally able to speak I said, "It's no problem. We'll be on our way. One again, sorry."

Em and I didn't wait for them to reply. We ran out of there like our lives depended on it. We got to the elevators and stood there silently, digesting what we had just gone through.

"I think I'll need therapy." Emmett stated. I chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, I'm with you on that one. I wouldn't wish that view on my worst enemy." He nodded wordlessly..

Suddenly, it hit me. "Emmett, you damn buffoon! It's room _216!_ You misheard her!" He had the decency to look sheepish. I shook my head and sighed. "Come on, let's go."

We made our way to room 216 and before I could intercede, he once again banged on the door. Not only that, he also added an "Izzy! Open the damn door!"

I internally groaned. What if this wasn't the right room either? Luckily, it was the right room. I didn't know who opened the door, but Emmett barreled in and wrapped them in a hug.

"Well, it's about damn time! I thought I'd be waiting until my beard turned grey!" I heard laughter and it was like music, bells.

_Bella_

It was Bella he was hugging. Trying to at normal I teased, "Emmett, you couldn't grow a beard if you tried! It's all those steroids I keep telling you not to use.

She turned and when I saw her face I nearly had the breath knocked out of me by the sight of her.

I smiled and before my mind had time to register her movement, her arms where wrapped around my neck. I wrapped my own on her hips and pulled her closer to me. I could _smell_ her. A field of flowers and strawberries. Divine. This was so worth the view of the nudists in 260. I made a mental note to have everyone keep off that floor.

Her voice, smooth and sweet like honey, floated to my ears. "God, it's good to see you!" I didn't return her words immediately, too overwhelmed in pure _Bella_ to respond.

She let go of me all too soon and I took the moment to look her over. Black skinny jeans that could have been painted on, a white elbow length button down top, and white ballet flats. Not the Bella I grew up with, but I wasn't complaining. She was like Bella 2.0 or something.

Once I decided my staring was becoming creepy, I repeated her earlier greeting under the guise of being able to pull her close once again. "Your dressed up," was the response that came out after a few seconds of embracing. I wanted to slap myself.

_You idiot! It's been how many years since you've seen her and that's what comes out of your mouth?_

She huffed. "Yes Edward, I do know how to dress myself despite popular belief." I laughed. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had made that observation today. There was a knock on the door before I was able to say anything else and I saw Rose and Jazz.

Alice walked in my line of view with a smirk. "Why hello Edward." She greeted in a conspiratorial tone. I remembered that tone well. See anything you like?" she asked as she turned to look in Bella's direction. I silently cursed. Of course _Alice_ would notice. Nothing went past that sea monkey. She was like the all seeing eye.

I was about to deny everything and turned to look at her. Her jaw was practically touching the floor and her eyes were bugging out. Confused, I turned to look at what caught her attention and smiled when I saw the culprit. "I don't know," I responded to her earlier question. "Do you?" Her jaw snapped shut and she turned to glare at me.

I gave her a hug and said, "It never happened." I looked her in the eyes. "Right?" She understood. I never stared at Bella like she was a piece of meat and Alice never ogled Jasper like she wanted to have his babies.

Of course, when they stuttered their way through a greeting that was all blown out the toilet. Well, at least the object of her affections liked her the same way. I'm sure Bella still viewed me as a brother figure, just like when we were kids.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I officially suck. I'm a terrible updater...**

**Excuses won't bring the next chapter up faster so I won't even bother typing my long list of valid reasons of why it took so long to post this.**

**I do bring some good news for those of you who haven't seen or heard it yet: The '_Eclipse_' trailer is out! The link below will bring you to it on YouTube. By the way: No, it's not my YouTube account.**

.com/watch?v=S2HIda5wSVU

**Please leave a review telling me your thoughts on the story so far and where you'd like to see it go. Oh, and if any of you are in the position to help me with the story, PM me please. I really could use the extra help! **


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